


Don't Fear The Reaper

by 71tenseventeen



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Background serial murder, Blood, Fluff, M/M, Minor descriptions of violence after it occurs, References to aftermath of violence, Romance, Serial Murder, Sex, Sex with a stranger, Vampires, non-hockey au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:47:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27179449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/71tenseventeen/pseuds/71tenseventeen
Summary: Sidney thinks having a one-night-stand is the riskiest experience he'll ever have. He has no idea how wrong he is.
Relationships: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin
Comments: 21
Kudos: 102
Collections: Sid/Geno Spooky Fest 2020





	Don't Fear The Reaper

**Author's Note:**

  * For [secretsidgenowriter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretsidgenowriter/gifts).



> For secretsidgenowriter, my friend and amazing author! It was such a treat to write for you! 
> 
> Have to give props to my fantastic beta hrroyalgeekness. Thanks for spending hours on a weekend dealing with my comma issues. 
> 
> And thanks to queen-alia for being an amazing sounding board, as always!

_Zhenya wanted him the moment he saw him, all flushed cheeks and pink lips, hair a mess of curls that were just begging to have fingers sunk into them. And then he caught the man’s eye and watched the way his cheeks flushed and knew he wouldn’t be going to bed alone tonight._

\--

Sid hadn’t even wanted to come.

He knew this would happen when Tanger and Flower dragged him here; he’d end up nursing a drink, looking awkward and strange while they flailed like injured bats on the dance floor. It was the least sexy thing he had ever seen, yet they rarely went home alone.

 _ _Whatever__ , he thought. One look at the dance floor revealed Flower looking like an absolute disaster trying to do the robot. He’d rather go home alone than be caught dead doing that.

Sometimes having standards really put a damper on his sex life.

Sid turned to go—by the time they noticed, he’d be too far away for them to drag him back—and that’s when he saw him.

He was behind the bar passing a shockingly blue drink to the woman in front of him. The embodiment of tall, dark and handsome, and that was really doing it for Sid. He let his eyes roam the man’s chest, outlined by the tight fitting tee he wore and lower, to jeans that just hugged him in all the right places. Sid could barely tear his eyes away, but when he glanced back up, he froze, finding himself locked in the man’s dark gaze.

Sid’s breath left him for a moment as something hot and intense boiled over inside him. The man wasn’t looking away. Sid held his gaze and hoped he understood what he wanted.

A moment later, he had his answer when the man tipped his head, ever-so-slightly, towards the dark hall behind the bar. His tongue darted out across his lower lip and he raised an eyebrow, questioning. Sid didn’t even have to think about it before he gave the slightest nod.

He found himself being silently guided down the hall and into an office. As soon as the door was closed, the man crowded him against it, kissing him without preamble, slow and a little rough.

“Name?” The man rumbled, low in his throat.

“Sidney,” he replied, gasping at the slow grind of the man’s hips.

“Zhenya,” was the soft response. He leaned in for another kiss but before he could deepen it, Sidney sank to his knees. He slid his hands over Zhenya’s thighs and looked up, hoping his expression conveyed everything he wanted.

Zhenya’s hands flew into action, unzipping his fly and pulling his dick free, gripping it, offering.

Sid reached for him, and then his mouth was on Zhenya, and __fuck__ , he loved everything about this. It was so risky, and he rarely let himself take risks, but it felt too amazing to stop.

When Zhenya tangled his fingers in Sid’s hair, guiding him, he moaned deep and low, looking up again with heavy eyelids.

“Yeah?” Zhenya asked, voice course, and tightened his fingers a little more, experimentally. Sid's eyes rolled up and fluttered shut as he let out another long groan around Zhenya’s dick.

It didn’t take long.

Zhenya’s hips twitched, and he started to apologize, but Sid hummed and urged him on with a soft hand on his hip. He sped up, taking in more and more until Zhenya rasped, “You want it?”

Sid hollowed his cheeks, and that’s all it took. Zhenya watched him the whole time as he swallowed what he could, the rest trickling out the corner of his mouth. He finally pulled carefully off and gazed up, pleased when Zhenya groaned and tugged him up with a low moan.

Faster than seemed possible, he had Sid turned around, braced against the wall as he yanked at his zipper. A moment later long, warm fingers wrapped around his dick, and Sid let his head drop forward, whimpering as Zhenya started to stroke.

He set a steady pace without easing into it; it was almost too much and so, so good. Zhenya draped over his back and started to mouth at his neck before pulling off abruptly. He tightened his grip, moving fast and hard now. And then without warning Sid tensed up, yelping as he came all over Zhenya’s fist.

Eventually Zhenya let go and Sid pushed away with a soft sigh, leaning lazily against the wall until he got his breath back.

There was more kissing as they buttoned back up, and then Sid decided to take another risk. “Got any plans after your shift?”

Zhenya smiled knowingly. “What you have in mind?”

“My place isn’t far from here.”

Zhenya was quiet for a moment before finally nodding. “Tell me where, I’m be there.”

\--

Sid’s phone won’t stop ringing.

He lets it go to voicemail twice but when whoever calls—as if it would be anyone but Flower calling incessantly—for the third time, he slaps around on his nightstand until he finds it.

“What?” Sid snakes his other hand across the mattress, disappointed but not surprised to find it empty and cold.

“Good morning to you too, asshole. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”

“Yeah, no kidding and I’ve been trying to sleep.”

“I was about to come looking for you. Shit, Sid, you had us worried.”

He opens his eyes. “What? Why? I leave without you guys all the time.”

“Yeah, well, as it turns out they found a guy in the alley behind the bar this morning.”

“And?”

“And he was __dead__. The description said he was approximately 5’10” with short, dark hair.”

“I’m 5’11.”

Flower lets out an exasperated sigh. “Sid!”

“Okay, okay. Geez, I’m sorry I freaked you out.”

“Thank you.”

Sid sits up and runs his free hand through his hair. “What happened to the guy? Some kind of accident?”

“Yeah, that’s a hard no. I don’t think it’s possible to accidentally become exsanguinated.”

“Ex—wait, isn’t that?”

“Yeah. He’s a raisin.”

“Oh come on, gross!”

“Well he is!”

Sid shakes his head. “That’s—how is that even possible.”

“No idea. Just be glad it’s not you.”

Sid is unequivocally glad it’s not him.

He checks for a note or a number or... anything when he finally hangs up the phone. But it looks like this thing with the bartender may have been a one-off. He wonders how Zhenya managed to slip out of bed and leave without waking him. At least then, he could have given him his number or thanked him or something. Sid shivers thinking about the things Zhenya did to him last night and, yeah, he definitely should have thanked him.

As much as he tries not to think about it, thoughts of mortality drift back and stick with him throughout the day. The idea of anyone dying like... like __that__ , is deeply unsettling. It hits him that it could have been someone at the bar; in fact, it probably was. Had he seen the guy? Had he run into the killer?

Fuck, he invited a __total stranger__ to his house last night. He'd known it maybe wasn't the smartest thing, but he'd felt safe at the time. Was it simply luck that he'd run into Zhenya instead of the killer?

The thought gives him chills.

But how could anyone __exsanguinate__ a person in an alley? It’s a gruesome thought, and Sid finally decides that it couldn’t have happened there. It just wasn’t possible. Whoever did this, did it in another location and probably just dumped the man’s body in that alley. Just a creepy coincidence, so he does his best to put that and Zhenya out of his mind.

It doesn’t work. Neither have left his mind by the time he gets to work the next morning. Zhenya left a mark just above Sid’s collarbone that made it pretty hard to think about anything else anytime he looked in the mirror. It’s pointless to hope no one will notice, so it’s not a surprise when Tanger zeroes in on it immediately.

“Shut up.” Sid can see the amusement in his eyes before he says a word.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You were going to.”

“Yup. So you’re dating, eh?”

“No.”

Tanger raises an eyebrow. “No?”

“No,” Sid replies firmly. “Go do some work.”

Tanger chuckles all the way down the hall.

\--

Sid loves his job.

It’s never hard to immerse himself in the rich history of Pittsburgh, in research and watching with delight as patrons get excited over relics he had a hand in acquiring. It’s made even better by working with people he genuinely enjoys. He’s made some of his best friendships here—the museum has been like a second home to him and his co-workers a family. He couldn’t be more grateful.

One of the best parts of his job is talking with visitors and, even better, teaching them about pieces of Pittsburgh history. He’s thrilled to spend his morning talking with classes of curious ninth-graders who have come to tour the museum.

It’s not until he settles into his usual spot next to Tanger during lunch in the staff lounge that he’s reminded of the murder. Tanger and their buddy, Patric—otherwise known as Horny, are debating about how such a death could even be possible and all of their theories turn Sid’s stomach.

“What do you think, Sid?” Tanger nudges him with an elbow. “I mean it had to be a funeral director or something, right? Who else could do something like that?”

Sid grimaces and puts down his sandwich. “Do we really have to talk about this?”

Tanger raises his eyebrow quizzically. “Considering we were there, it seems like a big deal.”

Horny sits up. “Shit, you were there?”

“It’s __not__ a big deal. I mean yeah, we were there, but nothing happened while we were, and besides, it’s not like someone did... _ _that__ in an alley. It’s not like we met the murderer.”

Tanger reaches over to tug at Sid’s shirt collar. “I don’t know. You definitely met someone who knows how to go for the right spot.”

Horny snorts, and Sid starts packing his lunch back up. “Okay. I’m going to have lunch in my office.”

“Alright, sit down. We’ll talk about something else.”

True to their word, Horny launches into his plans with his wife and kids the next few weeks. By the time lunch is over Sid has been recruited to help with their youngest daughter’s birthday party at the end of the month.

He doesn’t mind helping; he loves the kids and feeling like his friends welcome Sid into their lives. When he imagines his future, he always sees them as a part of it, playing uncle to his own children.

He thinks of the bartender and grins to himself. A one night stand isn’t exactly getting him closer to any of that, but he can’t bring himself to regret it.

\--

Two nights later, Sid meets Flower for dinner, and he can see the judgmental grin from halfway down the block. Tanger told.

Sid’s not even a little surprised.

Flower’s eyes hone in on the fading mark on Sid’s neck, and he raises his eyebrows.

“Shut up.”

“I halfway thought Tanger was making it up. Congrats, Sid. Happy for you.”

Sid feels his cheeks heat up. “Please stop.”

Flower does the exact opposite of stopping and peppers Sid with questions all the way to their table. “Who is he?”

“No one you know.”

“Where’d you meet?”

“Uh, you know. Just...out.”

Flower waits until they’re seated and have given their drink orders before he turns back to Sid. “Out?”

“Yes.” Sid tries to busy himself looking at the menu.

“Out where? You never go out except when we make you and—wait.”

Sid sinks a little lower behind the menu, but it does no good when Flower tugs it out of his hands, leaning forward and looking surprisingly less amused. “Did you hook up with someone from the __bar__?”

Sid sighs. “Yes and you can’t seriously be judging me right now for hooking up. It’s not like you haven’t.”

“I’m not judging you. I’m honestly kind of freaked out.”

Sid sits up a little straighter. “Why?”

“Did you know the guy?”

“Not really.”

“Shit, Sid. What if it was, you know... The guy?”

Sid frowns. “He’s not a murderer; he’s a bartender!”

Flower’s eyebrows fly up. “You hooked up with the bartender?”

Sid groans. “Can we please not do this? Look, I know it was risky but I promise you he was not the guy.” Sid hesitates before continuing more quietly. “He came home with me and stayed the night. He was…” Sid’s not sure __nice__ is the right word here, but he certainly wasn’t __not__ nice. “He didn’t do anything I didn’t want him to do.”

Flower takes a deep breath but finally nods.

They both take a few minutes to look at the menu, but the moment the waitress disappears with their orders, Flower grins across the table. “So are you going to see him again?”

He lets himself think about the bartender again while he walks home. __Zhenya__.

Sid doesn’t know his last name or if that was even his real first name. He hadn’t left his number or even woken Sid when he left—it felt like a one night stand.

But.

Sid can’t seem to stop himself thinking about Zhenya—how he had looked and felt all wrapped around Sid. How his deep voice rumbled and his breath caught when Sid touched him just right.

It was definitely a one night stand. Sid won’t go looking for him, but if the opportunity ever presents itself again again, he’s pretty sure he won’t say no.

\--

Sid lasts two weeks before he finds himself back at the bar.

Zhenya is there, and he’s already staring at Sid with a hint of a smirk.

He feels his cheeks flush and given the things they did to each other two weeks ago, it seems a little absurd to be blushing right now, but his face didn’t get the memo. He takes a deep breath and makes his way to the bar, counting on the dim lighting to hide his pink cheeks.

Zhenya takes him to the same office, but this time, he backs Sid against the wall, gripping his face and staring down at him for several long, tense moments before finally kissing him. He presses close, kissing Sid until he’s breathless, and when he stops it’s only to pin Sid’s wrists against the wall and mumble “Gonna make me wait two week every time?”

“You know how to find me,” Sid rasps, trying to make his voice sound more steady than he feels.

Zhenya smirks and rocks his hips forward a little, just enough to make Sid thunk his head back against the wall. “Yes. I do, don’t I?” he says softly before dipping down to nuzzle Sid’s neck.

\--

Zhenya spends the night with Sid again, but this time he leans over Sid in the early morning hours, kissing along his collarbone while he reaches out with his free hand to grab Sid’s phone off the nightstand. He slips it into Sid’s hand and pushes up to grin down at him. “Give you number, you text anytime you want see me. Don’t have to come in and pretend to be innocent.”

Sid laughs and pushes at his shoulder before unlocking his phone and handing it over. Zhenya hands it back when he’s finished and leans in close to Sid’s ear. “Anytime you want see me, Sidney. Anytime.”

Sid shivers and abandons his phone to pull Zhenya closer.

\--

It's different, texting for what is essentially a booty call, instead of meeting up at the bar. Sid suddenly feels awkward and fidgets until Zhenya catches his hands.

He smiles, softer than the smirks Sid is used to seeing from him. "You __shy__ ,” he says, like it’s a revelation.

"I'm not __shy__ ," Sid insists as Zhenya steps closer and strokes a finger across Sid's very warm cheek. “I was going to offer you a drink.”

"Cute," Zhenya says before dipping down for a slow, messy kiss. "I like," he mumbles when they finally part.

After, when they’re still sticky and sweaty, instead of stretching out on the bed, Zhenya leads Sid to the bathroom and tugs him into the shower. And okay, Sid thinks he can go again if he has a few minutes, but Zhenya surprises him by picking up his shampoo and sniffing it before pouring some into his palm.

“Coconut,” he says with a grin before dividing the pool of shampoo between both palms. “No wonder you make me think of beach.”

Before Sid can even begin to formulate a response, Zhenya reaches up and starts soaping up Sid’s hair and then his own, as casually as if they’ve done this a thousand times already. It leaves Sid feeling a little awkward again, __shy__ , and Zhenya must be able to tell because he tugs Sid closer and sinks his fingers into his hair.

It’s effective—Zhenya’s fingers on his scalp are so heavenly that Sid catches himself whining a little when he stops. Zhenya just chuckles and repeats the process on himself, grinning at Sid’s attempts to help, despite the height difference.

Zhenya is completely at ease through the shower and then after, drying off and climbing back into the bed. He turns on his side and stares at Sid until he squirms. “What?”

Zhenya reaches out and slowly traces a finger across his abdomen. “Just thinking I’m so thirsty. Wish someone offer me drink.” His sober expression cracks the moment Sid dissolves into laughter and starts tugging on his hand.

“Come on,” he says, pulling Zhenya in the direction of the kitchen. “I wouldn’t want to be a bad host.”

\--

Zhenya texts him on Wednesday, and Sid smiles at the phone, pleasantly surprised.

< _Busy friday?_ >

Sid is not busy.

< _Depends_ >

He holds his breath, hoping Zhenya will read it as the joke he means it to be. After several long seconds, he finally gets a reply.

_ <Been very thirsty. Hoping maybe someone invite me over for drinks> _

Sid’s really glad he’s alone in his office right now, and no one can see his face scrunched up in laughter.

\--

The fourth weekend Zhenya comes over, he brings dinner.

It’s cold by the time they get to it, but as Sid watches Zhenya wander around his kitchen in boxer briefs, chattering about the upcoming opening night of Penguins hockey, he realizes this is more than just someone he has sex with.

It’s only a little surprising how okay with that he is.

\--

Their first official date is on Halloween. Zhenya takes Sid to dinner and then a game. It’s fun cheering together in the stands and, later, walking hand-in-hand to Zhenya’s apartment for the first time.

It might technically only be their first real date, but for Sid, it feels more like a shift, from a casual fling to something much more intimate and real.

Zhenya shows him around the little apartment, grinning when Sid stops to look at pictures of what he assumes is Zhenya’s family. By now Sid’s heard so much about them, he feels like he sort of knows them, but it’s nice to put faces with the names and stories he’s heard.

He always likes waking up next to Zhenya, but finds he likes it even more here. It feels special to be in Zhenya’s personal space, like they’re slipping into each other’s lives a little more.

They eat breakfast together before Zhenya crowds Sid against the counter and slides his hands under the hoodie Sid pulled on earlier. “You have to go? Have plans today?”

Sid pulls back just enough to watch Zhenya’s face as he shakes his head. “No plans, nowhere to be.”

Zhenya’s smile is slow and warm as he ducks down, nosing at the space just below Sid’s ear. “You stay? Spend day; watch football and bad movies with me?”

Sid’s chest feels funny—warm and tight at the same time, and he has to close his eyes for a moment before pulling Zhenya closer. “Yeah, I’d love that.”

They do watch football and bad movies. They order takeout and play a few rounds of poker that leave Sid laughing at Zhenya’s pout every time he loses.

The only dark spot comes late in the afternoon, when Sid is gathered up in Zhenya’s arms on the couch while they flip channels looking for something new to watch. Zhenya lands temporarily on a news segment and his whole body tenses when they listen to the news anchor report that another body had been found, exsanguinated just like the first, and Sid feels a chill of fear run down his spine. Once was bad but twice—he can’t imagine what kind of monster would do that or why.

Zhenya is visibly uncomfortable, and Sid finally tips his head back to look up at him. “Are you okay?”

Zhenya gives a shake of his head and turns the channel. “Sorry. Was just thinking that sound like really horrible way to die.”

Sid nods. The whole thing is gruesome to think about, but he can see Zhenya is shaken and wants to at least try to help settle his nerves. “It does but, maybe they were, you know, already gone when it happened?”

“Hope so,” is all Zhenya says, dropping a kiss on Sid’s hair before he goes back to flipping channels.

Zhenya insists on sharing Sid’s uber home with him that night. “Just want make sure you make it okay.”

At Sid’s door, Zhenya grips his face and kisses him long and slow. When he finally pulls back he says softly, “Be careful, okay? Not feel so safe out there.”

“I’ll be careful but what about you?”

Zhenya grins. “Nobody mess with me. I’m badass.”

“Yeah, okay, tough guy. Um, text me when you get home, though?” Sid isn’t sure if that’s too much or not but Zhenya just kisses him one more time, soft and chaste.

“I will. Talk tomorrow, too?”

“Definitely.”

Half an hour later. Sid gets a selfie of Zhenya pouting in his bed. < _Make it home to cold, lonely bed_ >

Sid laughs.< _Come over tomorrow night? I'll cook for us._ >

< _I will be there_ >

\--

Flower is waiting outside Sid’s building on Monday morning.

Sid frowns. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Technically, I am,” Flower answers grimly before nodding towards the street behind Sid.

Sid glances over to see several police cars and barricades a couple blocks down.

“Oh. Big story?” He starts to walk, knowing Flower will fall into step beside him.

“You could say that,” Flower says and then lowers his voice. “It happened again.”

“What?”

“They found another body and it’s— it’s the same as the others.”

Sid stops and turns to Flower. “Wait, really?”

Flower shrugs, looking visibly shaken. “Boss sent me down here to cover the story, but I couldn’t get anything out of PD’s media guy.” He looks around before lowering his voice again. “I don’t think they have a clue.”

“Shit, that’s two in two days.” Sid looks down the street and swallows hard. “Shit,” he repeats.

“Yeah.”

“Wait, why are you covering it?” Sid’s eyes widen, a sick understanding starting to wash over him.

“One of the AHL call-ups. He was out with friends, told them he was getting a cab to his hotel. That was just before midnight. He wasn’t seen again until, well.” Flower casts a grim look toward the chaos at the end of the street.

“Oh god.” Sid feels sick.

“Listen, I know you always walk to work, but maybe you should find another way for a while?”

They’ve been friends for a long time but Sid’s rarely seen Flower looking so serious.

“You sound like Zhenya. It’s a few blocks, and most days I’m home before six. Plus it’s not like I’m a small guy.”

Flower shakes his head. “Neither was he, and I saw him, Sid. It was…” He closes his eyes for a moment. “It was just bad.”

Sid sighs. “I’ll try to figure something out, okay? Don’t worry. In the meantime, maybe we should get you some coffee or something.”

Flower shakes his head again. “I wish I could but I gotta get back.”

“Lunch?”

He thinks about it for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, text me.”

\--

Tanger tags along for lunch, and they find Flower waiting for them in the parking lot. It’s chilly and the steady drizzle makes the air feel even colder. Sid’s glad they chose someplace nearby as they set out but before they even get to the edge of the lot, he hears a familiar voice. “Sid?”

He turns, unable to stop the smile that spreads across his face when his eyes land on Zhenya, bundled up and holding a small paper bag and an umbrella. He glances to the side long enough to see Flower staring at him, eyebrows raised high, before he doubles back and ducks under Zhenya’s umbrella.

“What are you doing here?” Sid can’t stop smiling. He doesn’t even care that his friends are going to make the biggest deal of this later.

“Ah, I mess up, maybe. I think I come surprise you, bring you cookies and take to lunch. Sorry, Sid. Should have asked f—”

Sid cuts him off with a kiss before ducking his head with a little laugh. How Zhenya can still make him feel like this after the things they’ve done is beyond him but he kind of loves it. “Those, um, those are my friends, we were going to lunch. You should come, I mean, if you want to meet them. It’s okay if you don’t want to do that, yet. I—”

“Of course I want,” Zhenya is smiling down at him, and, god, they're going to have an absolute field day with this. “But only if is okay. If you have plans, don’t want to intrude.”

Sid grabs his hand and tugs. “Come on. It’ll be fine.”

He keeps the introductions short, and they make their way quickly to the taco place a couple blocks away. It’s a little crowded, but they’re seated right away. Flower has the courtesy to wait until they’ve made their orders before he pounces.

“So you’re the famous Zhenya, huh?”

Sid has to fight the urge to kick Flower under the table but Zhenya just grins widely. “Glad to finally meet. I hear a lot about you both.”

“Oh?” Tanger exchanges a look with Flower. “We’d love to get to know more about you too, then.”

Sid had worried this was all too soon, too much for Zhenya but he just leans forward with an easy smile and a nod. “Anything you want to know. Hope I pass inspection of Sid’s best friends.”

Sid kind of wants to kiss him. A lot.

It goes well as far as Sid can tell. Flower asks a few questions that are clearly designed to feel Zhenya out, but then they fall into a more comfortable conversation. It feels great to see them getting along even if they do briefly land on the topic of the murders. Zhenya tenses obviously and squeezes Sid’s hand. “Don’t like how close it was to you.”

“I told him the same thing, Z,” Flower says around a mouthful of guacamole.

Sid sighs, and Zhenya shoots him an apologetic look. “Sorry, I’m not mean be bossy. Just worry.”

Sid can’t help but smile at him. “I know. I worry, too. About you and all of my friends. We’ve all got to look out for each other.”

Zhenya nods, but Sid can tell he’s not feeling much better about the situation. If he’s being honest, he’s pretty spooked too. But outside of being extra cautious, there’s not much he can do, so he tries not to think too hard about it.

The lunch hour feels faster than normal. Back in the parking lot they say goodbye to Flower and Tanger claps Zhenya on the shoulder before heading back inside.

Sid finds himself grinning goofily. “I’m glad you came today.”

“Me too. Glad it turned out okay.” Zhenya tugs him a little closer. “Wish you not have to go back to work.”

“I know, but it’s only a few hours. You’re still coming over tonight, yeah?”

“Wouldn’t miss. I bring dessert.”

“You already brought me cookies,” Sid says with what he knows must be the dopiest smile and taps the little container Zhenya had finally handed over.

“Cookies for lunch dessert. Dinner need much better dessert.”

Sid’s not sure if he means for that to be innuendo, but his mind definitely went there, and he has to kiss Zhenya again.

“I should go inside,” he says, pulling away reluctantly.

Zhenya nods. “Okay I pick you up tonight? Too cold to walk all the way home in rain.”

Sid’s sure it’s not just because of the rain, but he agrees anyhow. Zhenya leans down for one last kiss, and Sid sinks into it, just a little, until the employee door flies open unexpectedly. Sid pulls back abruptly, knowing his cheeks must be blazing as he looks up to find the new security guard staring at them.

“Oh, hi Sidney.” The man’s eyes land on Zhenya, and he flashes a strange smile. “Oh, hello.”

Zhenya bristles and slips his arm around Sid’s waist.

“Um,” Sid glances up at Zhenya, confused. “Zhenya, this is Leonard, he just started with security last week. Leonard, this is Zhenya. He’s my…” Sid trails off, glancing up at Zhenya again because it certainly seems like a boyfriend situation, but they haven’t specifically talked about it.

Zhenya squeezes a little tighter and winks at Sid. “Boyfriend.”

The man extends his hand. “Call me Leo.”

“Evgeni,” Zhenya replies, and Sid’s a little surprised. He’s rarely heard him use his actual name.

Leonard cocks his head to the side a little, holding Zhenya’s gaze a little too long.”You look familiar, have we met?”

“Don’t think so.” Sid feels Zhenya’s fingers tighten a little on his hip.

“Ah. Well, sorry for interrupting, I just need to get something out of my car. See you later Sid.”

And then he’s striding across the lot leaving Sid wondering what just happened. Zhenya is frowning after him so intensely that he finally asks, “Are you sure you haven’t met before?”

“Hm?” He glances down at Sid, features softening immediately. “No, I’m never meet him. Thought he look familiar for a second, but no.”

“Oh. So...tonight?”

“Tonight. I pick you up at five.”

\--

Zhenya is fifteen minutes early, and instead of waiting in the parking lot, he shows up at Sid’s office door looking more than a little sheepish.

“Sorry so early, not realize until I get here. Was going to wait in lobby, walk you to car in case you not have umbrella, but Kris there and tell me to come to your office. Hope I’m not interrupt.”

Sid crosses the distance for a soft kiss. “Not at all. Come in,” He says, grabbing Zhenya’s hand with a grin. “I just need five minutes to finish up and then I’ll show you around if you want.”

“Good to see where new boyfriend work,” Zhenya says with a wink, and Sid is certain his responding smile is ridiculous.

He makes quick work of giving Zhenya a perfunctory tour before circling back to his main workspace and tugging him inside the room. It’s bigger than his office and lined with shelves and cabinets half full of relics he’s working with. There are things scattered around here and there on tables, evidence of ongoing projects but Sid leads them to the largest one. The tables and cabinets on the far side of the wall are filled with his current, and most long-term project.

“This is what I’ve been working on, kind of all the time since I started.” He gestures proudly at all the vintage firefighting gear he’s managed to collect. “All of this was used here in Pittsburgh at some point.”

Zhenya’s eyes linger on Sid for a long moment before he casts his gaze on the collection, reaching out but he stops just short of touching one of the very old fire helmets. “Can I touch?”

“Gently, but yeah.”

He does tap a fingertip lightly on the helmet before moving on to other things, taking his time and asking questions that Sid is all too enthusiastic to answer. He rambles on, only stopping when a slow smile spreads across Zhenya’s face.

“Ah, sorry. I’m probably babbling. I—”

Zhenya steps closer, cupping Sid’s face gently. “Don’t stop, I’m so impress. You know so much about history of every piece. Feel like I’m seeing new side of you here; you so passionate about this.”

“Oh,” Sid’s cheeks burn, but he can’t help feeling pleased. He tugs on Zhenya’s shirt just enough that he meets Sid halfway. He never imagined he’d be making out in his work room but he’s not sorry about it.

Zhenya has just threaded his fingers through Sid’s hair when the door opens and Zhenya’s arms wrap around Sid protectively as he pulls away with a surprised sound.

Leonard is standing in the doorway, frowning. “There you are. Your office light was still on and I saw your bag on the desk. Wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

Zhenya tightens his grip just a little as Sid tries to find his voice. “Um, I stay late sometimes. You don’t have to look for me or anything.”

“I thought this was employees only,” Leonard says, glancing up at Zhenya for a split second.

“He’s with me. This is my workspace; it’s okay.”

Leonard is quiet for a long moment before he finally flashes a large, toothy smile. “Well okay then. If you say it’s okay then that’s good enough for me. Just make sure you lock up when you’re done, yeah?”

“I always do,” Sid says, feeling a spike of annoyance.

“I should be moving on. See you tomorrow, Sid.”

Sid frowns when Leonard leaves, brows furrowed tight. “That was weird,” he mutters before turning to find Zhenya glaring at the empty doorway. “Zhenya?”

He blinks and looks down at Sid. “Something strange about that guy.”

Sid shrugs, but he can’t disagree. “Maybe we should head out now?”

“Okay,” Zhenya says, his expression finally softening. “We cook; you tell me more about firefighter history.”

“I can do that,” Sid says with a smile, Leonard already forgotten by the time he locks the door behind them.

\--

There’s another body the next morning.

The police are everywhere when Sid gets to work—the body found in front of the hotel just across the street.

He stares at the scene in wide-eyed horror. The police have tried to block as much as possible, but there’s not a lot they can do about the blood spattered all the way up the wall to the second floor windows. His gut tightens as a wave of nausea starts to wash over him, and he has to turn away, drawing in deep, shaky breaths as he tries to calm himself.

“Sid? You okay?”

He’s never been so glad to see Tanger.

He makes his way to the curb and sinks down before he finally nods. “I’ll be okay. It’s just…”

“I know, fuck. It just keeps getting worse.”

“They think it’s the same guy?”

Tanger nods gravely. “They do, other than what’s, uh, splattered, there’s no blood left. And he was torn apart.”

Sid has to drop his head between his knees.

“Shit, sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

It takes Sid a long while to calm down and he’s grateful that Tanger sits with him the whole time. Eventually, he makes his way inside and to his office, but getting anything done feels impossible. By the time lunch rolls around, he decides to throw in the towel and take the rest of the day off.

He’s gathering his things when Leonard taps on his open door. “Hey Sid, heading out to lunch?”

“Oh, um, actually I’m taking the rest of the day off.”

Leonard frowns. “Are you sick?”

“No, I—” Sid’s not sure he could explain even if he wanted to. “I’ve just got some personal time built up and have some things to do at home.”

“Oh. Okay then.” Leonard is still frowning, and Sid’s not sure if it’s just because of everything that’s happened but he’s starting to feel uneasy.

“I’m going to head out.” Sid has to slide out between him and the door frame when Leonard doesn’t move. He finally just pulls the door shut, forcing him out of the way. He’s very aware of the guard’s eyes on him while he fumbles with the lock before finally clicking it over and tucking his keys away.

“See you tomorrow.” He turns to go, not waiting for a response.

“I can walk you out. Probably good to take extra precautions, you know?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

Leonard falls into step behind him, several feet back but Sid doesn’t say anything. He wonders if the guard knows how uncomfortable he’s making things and decides he probably doesn’t. Still, Sid is relieved to finally get out of the building and find Zhenya there waiting, just like he said he’d be when Sid called him.

He lets Zhenya wrap him up in a tight hug and then usher them out of the parking lot.

\--

Sid starts driving to work.

Weeks pass and the body count keeps going up, sometimes more vicious than others but always with the blood completely drained away, and it leaves everyone on edge.

Most days, Sid and Tanger carpool, even when they hit an unusual warm snap during the second week of December. They’re careful to always walk in and out together—not a difficult task since they started working on a new display together and are now sharing a workspace.

Things with Zhenya are good—really good, despite Flower’s endless ribbing about how they started the relationship. He meets a couple of Zhenya’s friends and thinks it goes okay even though one of them—an otherwise friendly man Zhenya calls Seryhoza—keeps shaking his head and looking kind of exasperated at Zhenya. When Sid asks him about it later, Zhenya brushes it off saying, “That just how he is. Cranky old man.” It seems weird, but he supposes everyone has quirks, and he’s obviously a good friend to Zhenya, so he doesn’t think much more about it.

Zhenya has also taken to stopping by to visit Sid at work. He knows it’s as much Zhenya worrying about him as it is him being interested in Sid’s job, but he always seems fascinated with everything Sid shows him. Most importantly, he never gets tired of Sid chattering about all the things he’s working with.

And he has a lot to talk about.

It’s a cold Tuesday in December when Sid gets a package in the museum mail that has no return address. He knows he should be careful but curiosity gets the better of him and when he opens it he can only sit and stare in shock.

Someone has sent him a very, very old firefighter’s jacket from an engine company in Pittsburgh, a company that Sid hasn’t been able to find __any__ relics from.

To say it’s rare is an understatement—if it’s authentic.

When he finally allows himself to touch it—after thoroughly washing his hands and pulling on thin gloves—he slowly lifts it out, completely awestruck. A gentle turn of the jacket sends a small piece of paper fluttering to his desk.

He picks it up, heart hammering as he realizes it’s a note.

_For your collection. I know you will take good care of it._

That’s it. No name, no return address, not a single hint as to who sent it.

He’s running his fingers over the detailing on the shoulder with a smile when the door opens, and Tanger comes striding back in from a meeting.

“God that was long and boring—what’s that?”

Sid barely refrains from yelling and jumping up and down as he explains the jacket to Tanger.

“Holy shit! And no name at all, anywhere?”

“Nowhere.”

“God damn, Sid. I can’t even get my hands on a decent Jagr mouth guard, and you have shit showing up randomly on a silver platter.”

Sid can’t really argue with that—this is unheard of.

Still, he has a job to do so he reluctantly stores the jacket in his work room and pushes through the rest of the afternoon. Despite his best efforts, he’s not able to carve out even half an hour to get a closer look at the jacket, and by the time five o’clock rolls around he’s about to jump out of his skin with anticipation.

“I’m staying late,” he says, as Tanger is packing up for the night.

“That jacket isn’t going to let you rest, is it?”

Sid grins. “No. I need to know if it’s real.”

“You got a ride though?”

“I’ll call Zhenya or grab a Lyft.”

“Okay, “ Tanger says with a grin. “Enjoy your night, you freak.”

True to his word, Sid leaves a message for Zhenya, explaining the situation as quickly as he can. Then, finally, he can slip into his work room and get his hands on the jacket.

He only means to stay an extra half an hour—forty-five minutes at most.

It’s only his stomach growling that finally pulls his mind from the jacket and he’s surprised to find the museum dark and quiet—he must be the last person in the building. He quickly locks up the work room and heads to his office.

It’s strange, moving through the halls in the dark, his brain constantly tricking him into thinking he hears movement behind him. He has to laugh at himself when he reaches his office, and a wave of relief washes over him. Up until recently, he’s never really been easily spooked, but the murders have kept him on edge. It doesn’t help that Zhenya seems to worry about him constantly.

Zhenya…

“Shit.” Sid grabs for his phone where he left it on the desk and sure enough, he has several missed calls and texts. He dials Zhenya immediately, but it goes straight to voicemail which is strange, but maybe his phone died.

He listens to the messages as he locks up the office and heads back down the hall, deciding to head through the museum to the front entrance, so he can wait inside for a ride. He frowns at the increasingly anxious tone Zhenya takes, begging Sid to call him. He likes Zhenya so much, this weird overprotectiveness is his only complaint. He understands that Zhenya worries but Sid is a grown man and—

He’s passing by Tanger’s newest hockey display when he hears the distinct sound of movement just behind him. Sid whirls around, heart pounding when he smacks right into a body. It’s Leonard, closer than anyone should be walking to another person.

“Jesus!” He yelps, backing up. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Leonard is smiling at him in that way he often does that makes Sid incredibly uncomfortable. “Sorry, Sid.”

“It’s fine. I’m just—I’m heading out. I didn’t realize they kept you guys in the building so late.”

Leonard shrugs and takes a couple of slow steps forward. “They don’t, but I couldn’t let you stay here all alone.”

“Ah, well that wasn’t necessary but thanks.” Sid tucks his keys and phone into his coat pocket and takes a step back. Leonard just keeps moving forward slowly, closing any distance Sid tries to gain. Something feels wrong, and he finds himself wishing he’d just gone home with Tanger when he had the chance.

“Oh, it was necessary. Getting you alone is so rare; I couldn’t miss the opportunity.”

 _ _Fuck__. Sid has no idea what he means but it doesn’t sound good. “Okay well, I’m going now.”

“I don’t think so. Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted you?”

Sid’s stomach turns. “This isn’t appropriate.”

Leonard snorts. “Do you know how difficult it’s been, seeing you, wanting you every day. but time after time, you were protected. I had to find someone else so many times, but they were never really what I wanted, you know?” he says, his smile widening, and that’s when Sid sees it.

 _ _Fangs__ , fangs that were definitely not there a few moments ago, and he doesn’t understand.

Leonard surges forward, and Sid barely manages to dive out of the way, crashing painfully into a rack of hockey sticks. They scatter across the floor as he scrambles to his feet and just runs. He runs as fast as he can without looking back, but it’s no good. He can feel Leonard closing in behind him, feel the cold of his hand as it wraps around the back of his neck and yanks. And then he’s cackling, eyes wild and suddenly it all makes sense. It’s the only explanation, and Sid’s just going to be another victim, no matter how hard he fights.

He fights anyway, not knowing if any of his hits will land or even make an impact, but he has to try. He fights like he’s never fought in his life but is all too easily overpowered. He keeps trying to kick out even as Leonard wrestles him to the ground, ignoring Sid, smirking as he bares his fangs and fuck, they look bigger. He calls out to the empty building for help, knowing there is none to come.

And then there’s a sharp cry, a yell as Leonard flies off of him, leaving Sid stunned and confused. He scrambles up and sees—”Zhenya!”

Zhenya and Leonard are circling each other. “Get out of here, Sid. Get somewhere safe NOW!”

But there’s no way Sid is leaving Zhenya here to be killed. He looks around frantically and grabs the first thing he can get his hands on, cracking the old wooden hockey stick in half over his knee. Sid has no idea if this will work but he has to do something. Leonard leaps at Zhenya and, without letting himself think too much about it, Sid runs at the fighting men, narrowly missing Zhenya as he drives the stick into Leonard’s chest as hard as he can.

It’s enough to make him fall back a step, and Zhenya grabs Sid around the waist, pulling him away as fast as he can. “Zhenya, we have to get out of here! I think he’s—” Sid stops, eyes finally landing on Zhenya’s face and his whole world tilts.

Zhenya is breathing hard, face twisted viciously, and Sid sees fangs. Just like the ones Leonard has.

“Sid—” Zhenya says frantically, and Sid pushes away, filled with terror.

“Don’t touch me!” He screams, even as he’s putting more distance between them.

“I’m not hurt you!”

Sid scrambles for the other half of the hockey stick, hastily pointing it at Zhenya. “Get away from me!”

There’s a low groan behind Zhenya, and they both turn in time to see Leonard convulsing on the floor, dark blood bubbling out of his mouth. And then his body goes limp, sound dying off as Sid stares in horror.

Zhenya’s soft voice breaks through the haze, “Sid, please, I’m never hurt you.”

Sid feels his body start to shake as he stares. “What are you?”

“Vampire. Is real and I should tell you long time ago but was afraid to lose you.”

Sid keeps the hockey stick pointed at Zhenya, breathing hard. “How is this possible?”

Zhenya shakes his head. “I thought same thing when I find out. I know it’s not seem real but there are a lot of us. Most good, some bad, just like humans.”

Sid shakes his head, unable to comprehend what he’s hearing. “How do I know you won’t hurt me?”

“I’m not hurt humans ever. Still have conscience, still have morals. That’s not change just because heart stops beating.”

“Jesus christ.”

“I’m so sorry, Sid. All this time I wish so much, I can just be normal human for you. Know you have to find out sometime but never think it happen like this.”

Sid shakes his head. “I—I have to go. You stay away from me!”

Zhenya puts his hands up but doesn’t move forward. “If that what you want, promise I never bother you again” he says, looking __sad__.

Sid stares at him for a moment before running as fast as he can out of the building.

He doesn’t remember much about getting home.

He’d dropped his bags but still has his phone and keys in his jacket pocket, thank god. He runs for blocks, too afraid to stop and get a Lyft. It’s not until he gets home, throwing the locks behind him that he really lets the events of the night wash over him and no matter how hard he tries, he can never make it make sense.

Sleep doesn’t come easy, and when he does manage to drift off, broken hockey stick clutched in his hands, it’s fitful. He jerks awake over and over, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He checks every news network but there is no mention of any incident at all.

He calls in for the rest of the week, and no one at work seems to know about any of it which means Zhenya must have cleaned it all up. Did he—did he call his friends? Is there some secret network or band of vampires that clean up after things like this? Sid feels more than a little crazy considering it.

Early in the afternoon, Flower shows up at his door with a big bag of takeout and Sid’s work bag. “Zhenya called, said you guys had a little, uh, incident.”

Sid stares. Did Zhenya tell him? Does he know? Is—

“He didn’t tell me what you fought about, just that it was rough, and you asked him to stay away.”

“Oh. Did he, um, did he say anything else?”

“No, just that he had your bag and he didn’t think it would be a good idea for him to bring it to you.” This would be so much easier to work through if Sid’s heart wouldn’t tug the way it does at every mention of Zhenya.

Flower doesn’t press until they’re sitting on the couch, Sid picking at his plate listlessly. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Sid shrugs. “I don’t know.”

“It sounded like Zhenya felt responsible for whatever it was.”

He sighs. “He is.”

Flower frowns. “Did he do something to hurt you? Or…?”

“No, no nothing like that. We just, I don’t know how to explain it other than that there was some stuff about his past that he never told me, and I accidentally found out. Important stuff.”

“That sounds bad.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t want to tell you his secrets, Marc.”

“I’m not going to ask you to. I just want you to think about whether it’s something that changes the way you feel about him.”

Sid wants to laugh. It’s good advice—if the person you’re in love with is a human being. He doesn’t have a reply, but Flower doesn’t seem to need one.

“Okay if I hang out here for the night? We don’t have to talk about anything.”

“I’d love that, actually.”

\--

Another day passes, and Sid still doesn’t know the answer to that question. Of course it changes things, how could it not? But the feelings are still there, he still feels a deep pang of hurt every time he thinks of nights spent with Zhenya, before. It seems absurd to even consider continuing a relationship with a—Sid can barely even think the word. He almost died at the hands of a vampire, and it still doesn’t seem real.

He’s overwhelmed and more confused than ever. All he has are unanswered questions and an aching heart, and that’s what leads him to pick up his phone in the middle of another sleepless night.

\--

He shows up early and lucks out, snagging a table in the far corner. He needed some place public where they could at least try to talk and this coffee shop was the best he could come up with. He’s just settled with his tea when he sees Zhenya come through the door, and Sid’s heart twists. Fuck, he misses him so much.

He watches as Zhenya gets his own tea and then turns, scanning the room until his eyes land on Sid’s. He looks worn out and sad—Sid’s never seen him like this.

He hovers next to the table, clutching his tea as he says softly, “Hi Sid.”

“Hi Zhenya.”

“Okay if I sit?”

“Of course.”

Zhenya folds himself into the seat and for a moment neither of them speaks. Finally, Zhenya takes a deep breath and says quietly, “How have you been?”

Sid shrugs. “I don’t know how to answer that. Scared. Confused. I have a lot of questions.”

Zhenya nods. “I will tell you anything you want to know.”

Sid stares at him for a moment, looking for any sign, any little thing that might have given him a clue but there’s nothing. All he sees is a man, his Zhenya, and he realizes he desperately wants that part of him to be real.

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Maybe I start by telling you truth about me.” Zhenya looks miserable as he says it but Sid just nods.

“I think that would be good.”

So he listens as Zhenya quietly recounts growing up in Russia, very poor and working hard to try to help support his parents and brother. He talks about the woman he met and how unsuspecting he had been, how she had attacked him the moment they were alone. He was lucky, he said, to be left to turn instead of die.

After that there are stories of time passing, watching his family grow old from a distance and eventually leave him though they never learned his fate. To them, he’d already been gone for more than twenty years. Stories of meeting people, traveling, falling in love, friendships and time and time again being rejected when they discovered what he was or left behind when they inevitably passed in old age.

He talks about coming to the United States and finally finding a small community, making a family for himself among them, Seryhoza as much a father to him as Vladimir had ever been. He’d been scared for Zhenya when he realized he was dating Sid. The night they met, when he’d seemed so frustrated, it was because he knew Zhenya needed to tell Sid, knew things would end very badly if he found out accidentally. He couldn’t have anticipated how it would play out though.

“I thought about it so many times,” he says sadly. “Telling you about me, but you were first person I connect with in so long, Sid. Never expected it and by the time I realize how deep I’m in, it’s almost too late. Every time I come close, I get too scared and change my mind. I knew it was bad idea, I knew it was wrong but was so afraid of losing what we had.”

Sid feels Zhenya’s pain, knows it’s very, very real, but he still has questions.

“Why is it a secret if there are so many of you?”

“Different periods in time, others try to be open, you know? But in the end too many people not willing to see us as anything but monster. They just want to kill us. It’s better to hide, tell very few people and only when there is a lot of trust.”

“You didn’t trust me to know.”

Zhenya hangs his head. “I’m so sorry, Sid. If I could change everything I would. I liked that you treat me like normal person, didn’t want you to see me as monster. I was so scared of losing everything, and it happen anyway.”

For a moment Sid wants nothing more than to reach across the table and take his hand. But there are still things he needs to know.

"I," Sid swallows hard, bracing himself to ask the next question. "I need to know how you, um, feed. Do you have to kill?"

To his credit, Zhenya looks genuinely horrified. "No! God no. I'm never kill anyone and never want to."

Sid lets out a breath he hadn't realized he was even holding. Its such a relief but he still needs to know, "Then how..?"

Zhenya looks resigned as he starts talking. "There are a few ways. First is synthetic, I use this most of time. Not as good as real but pretty good. Have everything I need to be healthy."

Sid glances around, tamping down the wild urge to laugh at the madness of this conversation in the middle of a coffee shop.

"Second is drink straight from person. Usually someone you trust or a service. They paid well, and we take good care of them. Make sure they get good aftercare with food, hydration, monitoring. I'm not do this very often."

Sid feels oddly relieved. "Why?"

Zhenya shrugs. "Is different for everyone but for me, this can be intimate thing. Hard to do with stranger and hard to trust someone else enough to ask to do this."

"Does it hurt them?"

"No. It could if it’s bad vampire, but for most, no. To use service, we require to be screened and be very respectful of donors which means taking care until they have full energy again. For some, it just feel like drift in and out of nap, others it can feel little bit sexual. But like I say, for me usually feels little too intimate, so I use third option for real blood."

Sid is surprised to find he's wildly curious.

"Blood bank. For donors who also don't not comfortable with feed in person but want to help. I receive in bags."

“You have blood banks?” He stares in disbelief.

Zhenya shrugs. “They just the normal blood bank everyone else go to. Our patron come in, fill out paperwork, look like every other donor. Hide in plain sight, you know? No one suspect a thing. But they have to sign up ahead—we never use blood from people who not know what they donate for.”

Sid boggles at that long enough that Zhenya finally says quietly, “Sid? You okay?”

There’s concern all over his face and Sid finally gives his head a shake. “Yeah, I’m—Why don't you get sick when you eat regular food?" It’s maybe not the most important question but it’s one that’s nagged at him nonetheless.

"Myth. Don't need it to survive but still like it, and it’s not hurt us.” He pauses before adding, “Plus, is little way to hang on to old normal, make me feel more human even if I’m not anymore."

“What about being out in the daylight?”

“Mostly myth. There is mutation that make some vampire very sensitive to sun, sort of like allergy but very bad reaction, even death for some. But most not have problem.”

“You sent the jacket,” Sid says softly. It’s not a question, but Zhenya nods and looks down.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why? It’s an amazing piece, I loved it.”

“If I’m not send it, you not stay late. Almost get you killed trying to keep my secret. Never forgive myself.”

“You couldn’t have known that would happen. It’s as much my fault for being an idiot about it and staying so late alone. And,” Sid takes a deep breath before he goes on. “He would have found a way, it was just a matter of time. And if I hadn’t met you, there wouldn’t have been anyone to protect me when he did.” As soon as he says it out loud, Sid realizes it’s true. All along Zhenya had been trying to protect him.

Zhenya winces, but his only response is a resigned nod.

“You went out of your way to find something you knew I would love.”

Zhenya attempts but doesn’t quite manage a smile. “Perk of be around for long time, have very old friends.”

Sid takes a few sips of tea, trying to digest everything he's learned. Are these things he could live with, now that he knows them?

He looks across at Zhenya again, and it's devastating to think of letting him go.

To be with him would be a risk, the biggest risk he's ever taken but as he takes in Zhenya’s gentle eyes he realizes he believes him. Zhenya might be a vampire, but he's not a monster. If he’d wanted to hurt Sid, he could have done it a thousand times over.

"I miss you." It slips out, barely more than a whisper, before Sid can stop it.

Zhenya glances up, looking wrecked. "Miss you, too. So much, is all I think about."

Sid takes a deep breath. "Zhenya, I—I don’t want to lose you. I don't really know what to expect but I know what you mean to me, and I know you care about me too. And—," Sid swallows hard. "And I believe you. I trust you."

"Sid," Zhenya breathes, face full of emotion as he reaches out to grasp Sid's hands on the table. "I promise you, I make sure you never regret. Treat you most good and never keep secret again."

Sid nods because he believes Zhenya completely. "Do you maybe want to come over?"

"Nothing I'm ever want more."

****One year later…** **

Zhenya stares nervously at the bed.

They’ve talked about this so much, but now that it’s really going to happen, he’s so much more anxious than he could have anticipated. It’s been decades since he did this with someone and now, as much as he wants to try, he’s more than a little nervous.

He hears movement behind him and, a moment later, Sid is stepping into his arms. Zhenya wraps him up and holds him tight, savoring the smell of Sid’s shampoo, the feel of his hair on Zhenya’s skin. He promised himself he would never take a single thing with Sid for granted, and it’s a promise he’s been able to keep. Every day he finds new reasons to love Sid.

“We don’t have to do this.”

“Hmm?” Zhenya pulls himself from his thoughts to look down at Sid.

“We don’t have to do this. If it’s not the right time or you’re not comfortable, it’s—it’s okay if we don’t. I know you said it’s, um, very intimate for you.”

Zhenya’s insides warm, always moved by Sid’s love and care. “We do it. I’m little bit nervous but I still want.”

Sid nods slowly. “Okay. But if you change your mind, just tell me, okay? Promise me.”

“I’m promise if you promise me same thing.”

“I promise.”

They take their time getting on the bed, finding the right position with Zhenya ultimately laying half on top of Sid. They kiss first and it settles his nerves enough to start nosing slowly down Sid’s jaw.

Just as he reaches the tender spot below Sid’s ear, he feels a grip on his shoulder.

“Wait.”

Zhenya pulls away immediately.

“Shit. I didn’t mean stop. I just mean, well I wanted to say something first.”

Zhenya raises an eyebrow, confusion mingling with his relief that he hadn’t frightened Sid.

“I, um, you know,” he starts with a soft smile. “I wanted to say that I’d, um, be polite and ask if you’d like a drink.” His lips twitch.

Zhenya stares in disbelief. Did Sid just—

Before he can finish the thought Sid is giggling softly, and Zhenya groans, dropping his head to Sid’s chest. Fuck, he loves this man.

“Sorry, sorry. I just, I was thinking about that night, do you remember?”

Zhenya can’t help lifting his head to grin at Sid. “I remember. You best host then, best host now. Most polite,” he says, a chuckle escaping.

Sid beams up at him for a moment before his smile softens. “Okay, Zhenya. Then you should come have a drink.”

Zhenya’s chest tightens the way it has over and over again since he met Sid, and he ducks his head carefully into Sid’s neck. He can feel Sid’s arms wrapped around him, hands gripping his back. He kisses Sid’s skin gently before murmuring, “You ready?”

“I’m ready.”

Zhenya mouths at Sidney’s skin for a moment and then, finally, he bites.


End file.
